BSA

BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

BA [HONS] ARCHITECTURE Level 4

ARC4010 Cultural Context 1
Choose ONE of the four questions below and write 1800-2200 words, in the form of an illustrated and fully
referenced essay. In the essay discuss the relationship between the buildings and their physical and
historical context, in reference both to the built project and to the text sources provided. You are
encouraged to make reference to / find parallels with additional buildings and texts, as long as they are
relevant and appropriate.
READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY and address the points being raised there. Make sure you keep to the
point. You MUST refer to the reading listed below but also to your notes and handouts (and/or
presentations) from the lecture course. Your essay will fail if you dont use the set readings. You are also
advised to refer to additional sources - those suggested on the lecture handouts (or in the presentations)
or further reading indicated in your primary sources.
The books listed below will be placed in the High Demand Section in the library so you can all have access
to them as fairly as possible. Photocopy the relevant sections and return the books to the library for others
to do the same. (Tip: After photocopying, make sure you write on your copy the author, book title,
publisher, and year - or, photocopy the books credits page with this information. This way, when you have
to reference your quotations you will have at hand the information you need.)
Your essay must be fully referenced. A Guide to writing an academic essay and a Referencing guide have
been uploaded onto moodle. You may be penalised for using academically inappropriate sources. Please
note that websites like Wikipedia or history-for-kids are inappropriate for this level of study.
Your essay must be illustrated. Illustrations should be chosen to reinforce the points that you make in the
essay. These can be scans from books. Ensure the illustrations are numbered, captioned and the source
given at the back of the document.
SUBMISSION: 1800 2200-word essay, typed and illustrated.
Submit to the Student Office by 12 midday, 12th January 2016
Ensure that all pages are either bound or stapled together, loose sheets will not be accepted. Complete a
Submission Sheet from the Student Office (this will be secured to the rest of the document).
AN ELECTRONIC COPY MUST ALSO BE SUBMITTED VIA TURNITIN ON MOODLE by
11.59 am, 12th January 2016.
Work which is submitted late without an agreed extension will either be capped at a minimum pass (40%)
or may not be accepted. Local extensions must be applied for before the coursework submission
deadline. Make sure you use the appropriate forms - Information about extensions and the extension
request form can be collected from the school office. Do not contact the module leader for deadline
extensions they are not in a position to grant them.
Remember to read around the topic! The provided texts are part of the assignment but you are
encouraged to read more widely. Read other sections of the books to look for additional material, look
up other readings on the lecture handouts, browse through the footnotes and bibliographies at the back
of books to see if there more is material relevant for your question. Marks will be deducted if your essay
is significantly longer (or shorter) than requested. You are required to provide a word count at the end of
your essay.
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BSA
BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

BA [HONS] ARCHITECTURE Level 4

ARC4010 Cultural Context 1
Question 1
The imminent demolition of Birmingham Central Library arouses conflicting views within the city. This is
unsurprising given that Brutalism is often held to be one of the 20th Centurys most controversial
architectural movements. New Brutalism dominated British housing and Civic building projects between the
1950s and 1970s. Discuss how the movement first emerged, and developed through this period eventually
taking on a more humanist approach. Identify the main architects associated with the movement, and
discuss its development in British Architecture, with reference to the Library and other UK examples.

CURTIS, W (1994) Denys Lasdun: architecture, city, landscape London: Phaidon

CURTIS, W. (1996) Modern Architecture since 1900, (3rd ed. ) London, Phaidon
pp442-446
COLQUHOUN,A (2002) Modern Architecture. Oxford, London, Oxford University Press
pp 217-221
FRAMPTON,K (1992) Modern Architecture a Critical History.(3rd ed)London, Thames & Husdon
Part III chptr 2 &3 pp262-279
HALL, P. (2002) Cities of tomorrow: an intellectual history of urban planning and design in the twentieth
century, Oxford: Blackwell
RISSELADA, M. et al (2004) Alison and Peter Smithson: from the house of the future to a house of today,
Rotterdam: 010
SMITHSON, A, (1982)The Emergence of Team 10 out of C.I.A.M.: documents, London: Architectural
Association
Question 2
Le Corbusier is one of the most influential architects of the 20th century; describe how his early career,
travels and experiences in Paris at the beginning of the 20th Century led to him writing Vers une Architecture.
Analyse how these ideas were later developed in his early architectural career up to 1930, using examples
from his built projects during this period.

COLQUHOUN,A (2002) Modern Architecture. Oxford, London, Oxford University Press

(Chapter 7. Return to Order: Le Corbusier and Modern Architecture in France 1920-35)
CURTIS, W. (1996) Modern Architecture since 1900, (3rd ed. ) London, Phaidon
(Chapter 10 Le Corbusiers Quest for Ideal Form & Chapter 16 Corbusiers Villa Savoye at Poissy)
FORTY,A ( 2000) Words and Buildings A Vocabulary
Transparency; London: Thames & Hudson
FRAMPTON,K ( 1992) ModernArchitecture a Critical History.(3rd ed) London, Thames & Husdon
Part II, Chapter 17: Le Corbusier and the Esprit Nouveau 1907-31.
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BSA
BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

BA [HONS] ARCHITECTURE Level 4

ARC4010 Cultural Context 1

FRANCLIEU, F (1981) Le Corbusier sketchbooks. Vol.1, 1914-1948 London: Thames and Hudson in with
the Fondation Le Corbusier, Paris.
HERVE, L (1970)Le Corbusier: as artist, as writer, Neuchatel: Editions du Griffon
RISSELADA,M (2008) Raum Plan vs Plan libre, Rotterdam: 010
Question 3
Frank Lloyd Wrights concept of the Prairie Style house epitomizes American values, breaking with the
European influences of the neo-classical style that was prominent in the USA at the turn of the Century. How
did Frank Lloyd Wright develop this style, what were his key influences and how are these principles
represented in the houses themselves? Discuss with reference to two examples.
CURTIS, W. (1996) Modern Architecture since 1900, (3rd ed. ) London, Phaidon
(Chapter 7, The Architectural System of Frank Lloyd Wright)
FRAMPTON,K Modern( 1992) Architecture a Critical History.(3rd ed) London, Thames & Husdon
Pp 57-64 The Myth of the Prairie
PATTERSON, T (1994) Frank Lloyd Wright and the meaning of materials, London: Van Nostrand Reinhold
LARKIN, D, (1993) Frank Lloyd Wright: the masterworks Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation London:
Thames & Hudson in association with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, 1993
PFEIFFER, B & FUTAGAWA, Y,( 2002 ) Prairie houses : Frank Lloyd Wright, 1867-1959;Tokyo: ADA Edita

Question 4
Adolf Loos Ornament and Crime expounds his ideas that the beginning of mass production removed the
value of and requirement for decoration; it became an important polemic in the establishment of the
International style. How influential were his ideas, both at that time and in contemporary architecture? With
reference to the (new) Birmingham Library (Mecanoo,2013) and one of Loos buildings analyse the
relevance of decoration and ornament in architecture.

MALLGRAVE H, (2005) Modern Architectural Theory A Historical Survey,

Chapter 10, section 4, pp. 215-218. Electronic resource
COLQUHOUN,A (2002) Modern Architecture. Oxford, London, Oxford University Press

Chapter 4, pp. 74-86

CURTIS, W. (1996) Modern Architecture since 1900, (3rd ed. ) London, Phaidon

pp. 69-71
FRAMPTON,K (1992) Modern Architecture a Critical History.(3rd ed) London, Thames & Husdon,
Chapter 8,pp. 90-95
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BSA
BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

BA [HONS] ARCHITECTURE Level 4

ARC4010 Cultural Context 1

LOOS, A (1998) Ornament and Crime: Selected Essays, Riverside, Ca.: Ariadne Press
RISSELADA,M (2008) Raum Plan vs Plan libre, Rotterdam: 010
E, HEATHCOTE (2015) The problem with ornament Architectural Review 3 September, 2015 (online) will
be available on Moodle